Automatic-controlled railway stopping system



F.'G. HIGGINS AND R. L. MILLER.

Patented Dec. 28,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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By Rabat? L. "Mim- F. G. HIGGINS AND R. L. MILLER. AUTOMATIC CONTROLLEDRAILWAY STOPPING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1919.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 1/ III/l III/[all] j b INVENTORS Frank 6' Hlsams andWoberi' L. mlller BY 'ORNEY ,III IIIII/I/I/ lI/l/l/ F. G. HIGGINS AND R.L. MILLER.

AUTOMATIC CONTROLLED RAILWAY STOPPING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31,1919. I Patented Dec. 28, L920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII II IIllIIIlIIIIIlI/IIIIIIIIIIVIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIII 52 T L I IIIIII lIIIIII/Il II/IIIIlII/IIII] I///////l lj Ill/l l//// INVENTORS Frank G.H|33ms and BY wobari' LmflkrATTO EY FRANK HIGGINS A1? L.

GE EilOKilNlE, VASHfiING-TON.

AUTOIllIATIC-GONTROLLED BAIL'WAY STOPPING SYSTEM.

Application filed. May 31, 1919.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK HIIGGlNS and llonien'r L. MILLER, jointinventors, and citizens of the United States of America, residing atSpokane, in the county of Spokane and State of lVashington, haveinvented new and useful improvements in Automatic-Controlled RailwayStopping Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to the positive control of railroad trains andthe like for the purpose of getting certain positive, autoinatic,mechanical effects regardless of the neglect or disobedience of othermanually operative systems. The invention is particularly adapted to beused in connection with block systems.

The object of this invention, generally stated, is to provide animproved train stop mechanism which will positively control the movementof railroad trains within certain bloc-l: limits. More specifically,this invention has for its object to provide for the positive locking ofthe track safety position until such a time a. be necessary for thetripper to come to danpositicn, ior positively setting the trip adanger, and for positively resetting the t ip to safety after it hasbeen actuated. Toe operations are effected by the new and distinctconstruction hereinafter particiilarly described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1, is a view in side elevation of our improved device, togetherwith broken away views of a locomotive, railway and railway blocksystem, a portion thereoi being diagramatically shown, and showing themechanism in a train stop position.

Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a like sectional view, modified by showing the mechanism in atrain pass position.

Fig. at, is a sectional view taken on the line k4: of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5, is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6, is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7, is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 4.

s ecification of Le tters Petr/Hi LPatented Dec. 28, 192d.

Serial No. 300,952.

8, is a sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9, is a broken-away view taken from thgtop of Figs. 2 or 3, and,

Fig. 10, is an enlarged sectional view on line 101O of Fig. 2.

in a detail description in which like nunerals renter to like partsthroughout the everal views, we have shown a contact shoe l1 ttacaed toa vertically slidable finger 12 attached to a valve 13, the finger 12being sin-holy mounted in l'iearings 14, 15 and 16, me t o iorinerbearings belng supported cn occasionally refer to the parts and theiroperation, normal block signal circuit comprf 5 '1 battery 21, wire 22,semaphore mechanism 23, wire 24-, switch 25 and wire 26. Two additionalcircuits are required to operate this .iechanisin. The first additionalcircuit comprises the above named elements together with the wires 27and 28, Fig. 2-3, the magnet 29 and the wire 30. The second additionalcircuit comprises the first i med elements together with the wires 27and 31, the switch 32, the wire 33, the motor 3s.- and the wire 35, Fig.3.

A ramp rail 36 mounted substantially parallel with and adjacent therailway track 37 is supported by levers 3-8 i'ulcrumed on a shaft 39secured within a casing l0 at ll. The levels 38 extend downwardly withinthe casing er substantial distance below the shaft 39 and havedownwardly and outwardly extending arms 42 reinforced by braces 43.Secured to the outer ends of the arms d2 is a weight al the same beingsufficient to normally hold the lever in a substantially verticalposition, which maintains the ramp rail 36 in a position in relation tothe railway shown in Fig. 2. Stops 45 serve as a barrier to the furtherrotation of the arms 38 in that direction. The levers 38 are arched at46 as is also the wall 47 of the casing 40 adjacent thereto. An opening48 is provided in the wall 47 to permit the necessary rotation of thelevers 38 to effect the changes in position of the ramp rail 36.

Arched roofs 49 are attached to the levers 38 and serve as coverings forthe openingsv 48 to keep out snow, lee, water 01 other substances. Amotor 34 is supported :by a bracket 50 attached to the frame 40. Mountedin the casing 40andjournaled in the uprights5l is a horizontal shaft 52uponwhiclr' are. mounted a pinion 53,-Ja drum 54 and a gear 55, Fig. 4.Upon-the side of the gear= 55 .is a ratchet-gear 56'.v Ashaft 57 extendsfrom the motor 34 and carries at its outer end a pinion 58 whi0lrmcsh 3swith the gear end a rack 66, whichengages thepinion '53.

Secured to thedrum 54is one end ofacable 67 which passes over thepulleys 68, 69 and- 70 ,andvhas its other end secured --to' rod 38connecting'the lower ends-of the levers the second additionaloircuitabove describec 38. Securedto the shaft 52pis a key '71 which has arotatable contact with the- SWltClI 32.. The lower or free end of theswitch 32 is circumscribed in its movement by a keeper 72. Mountedonthesupport 51" against the gear 56 is a box 7 3 within which is secured ametal lever 7 4 fulcrumed at on a support 76, Fig. 5. Within the box 73is also mountedthe magnet 29,-tl1e-same bewhich-carries at its outerend'a weight=79.

Thearm:78extendsthrough a slotted-openmg 80 inthe wall of the box 73 andthe-- weight-79 is on the 0utside-of-the= box.

At the lower end of the'lever-7 4, seeFi-gs 5 and 6,.is a slot-81through which passes a pin 82 pivotallyoonnectingan' arm 83 pass ingthrough anopeningin the wall 01 the spring 85.

through an opening-'88 in the end of the-cyL inder,-which pawl engagesthe ratchet gear Y 56. A stem 89 extendinginwardly frointhe wall of-thebox-73"is encircledbya coil spring .90 which bears against the lever 74'at 91. The lever 74' is'adapted-to rock from the fulcrum 75, themovement being limited I bya stop 92 and by the magnet 29.

In the practical application of the device,

when the normal block circuit system is working in regular order and notrain is in I the block, the parts will be held in safety 7 position, orin the position shown in Fig. 8, by means of the first additionalcircuit above described whereby the magnet'29 holds the end'74? of thelever 74 in the position shown in Fig. 5, the pawl 86 being'held inengage ment-with the gear 56 thereby holding the pinion 58 and drum 54against rotation and the" cable67 serving to hold the lever 38 in theposition shown in Fig. 3 as against gravity or the weight 44' When atrain enters the block in the nor maltrain block systemand theswitch 25is opened by-means' of such system, gravity or theweig-ht 44 operates torotatethe parts to the position shownin Fig. 2, bringing the ra1nprail36t0 'dangerand which operates the air onthe train lineto stop thetrain.

ln'case thecircuit on the-regula-r-train block system is for any reasonbroken, the parts will operateas above, thereby providing for a stoppingofthetrain in case of disorder in the operation and causing themechanism to serve asan informer-ofdisorder. When the parts have changedposition from that shown in- F igL- 3V to that shown in Fig. 2, the

- key-71 has-rotated to come in contact with andto close the switch 32thereby forming strikes the switch82 and breaks the said sec- 0ndadditional-circuit. In the settingof the ramp rail to safety, the pinion53 on the shaft in its'engagement with the rack 66 serves to drawthepiston 64 in the cylinder 61 outwardly so that when the weight 44operatesto change the position of the lever 38 and the ramp-rail '36,the rotation of the shaft *52-and engaginggear and drum willbe-cushioned in their rotation by the returnstroke of the-f piston inthe cylinder- W hen the fi'rst additional circuit? 1 above described isbroken,--the"-coil spring- 89 supplemented by the weight '79 serves: to;changethe pos1- tion of the-lever 74'to disengage the pawl 86 .1fromthegear56. The-weight -79 is made sufiic'ient in itselfto serve thispurpose, if by 1. breakage or otherwise the spring 89 fails The coilspring 85in the end 8415ofthe arm 83 serves to. ratchet the engagementof the pawl 86 with the-gear 56in therotation of the gear 56..

What is claimed is 1. In an automatic controlled railway stoppingsyste1n-,-a construction for 005perating with a tripping finger usedin=connee-t with an air-brake system on a train to set the brakes andstop the train, and an electrically controlled train block system, compis' .ng a ramp rail mounted adjacent and substantially paralleling therailway track and adapted for sidewise movement to throw the same in orout of contact with the finger on the train, a casing in which issubstantially mounted a shaft upon which are rotatably fulcrumedsubstantially vertical levers supporting said ramp rail at their tops,said levers having laterally extending arms beneath the fulcrum, aweight on said arms, means between said levers and said electricallycontrolled track block system whereby said ramp rail is held to safetyposition as against said weight, by means or a closed circuit on saidelectrically controlled track block system.

2. In an automatic controlled railway stopping system, a constructionfor coopcrating with a tripping linger used in connection with anair-brake system on a train to set the brakes and stop the train, and anelectrically controlled traclr block system comprising a ramp railmounted adjacent and substantially paralleling the railway track andadapted for sidewise movement to throw the same in or out 0'? contactwith the finger on the train, a casing in which is substantially mounteda shaft upon which are rotatably fulcruined, substantially verticallevers supporting said ramp rail at their tops, said levers havinglaterally extending arms beneath the fulcrum, a weight on said arms,means between said levers and said electrically controlled track block sstern whereby said ramp rail is held to sale position as against saidweight, by means of aclosed circuit on said electrically cont-rolls;track block system, such means comprising a cable attached to saidlevers, a rotatable shattupon which is mounted a gearing and a drum, thecable engaging said drum, :1 'net mounted in circuit with said track ahsystem serving; to hold a pawl in said gearing to hold the same asagainst rotation, and means for the automatic release of said pawl fromsuch engagement when said circuit is broken and permit said weight toswing said lever to put the ramp rai in danger position.

In an automatic controlled railway stopping system, a construction forcoopcrating with a tripping finger used in connection with an air-brakesystem on a train to set the brakes and stop the train, and anelectrically controlled track block system comprising a ramp railmounted adjacent and substantially paralleling the railway tracl; andadapted for sidewise movement to throw the same in or out of contactwith the linger on the train, a casing in which is substantially mountedshaft upon which are rotatably tulcrumed substantially vertical leverssupporting said ramp rail at their tops, said levers having laterallye:;tending is beneath the fulcrum, a weight on said arms, means betweensaid levers and said electrically controlled track block systemWl'ldl'bpy said ramp rail mid to safety position afagainst said weight,by means of a closed circuit on said electrically controlled tract:block system, such means comprising a cable attached to said levers, arotatable shaft upon which is mounted a gearing and a drum, the cableengaging said drum, a magnet mounted in circuit with said track blocl:system serving to hold a pawl in said gearto hold the same as againstrotation, and means for the automatic release oi said pawl from suchengagement when said circuit is broken and permit said weight to swingsaid levers to put the ramp rail in danger position, together withautomatic means for retating the levers carrying the ramp rail, to placethe ramp rail in safety position after the circuit on the tracl: blocl;system has been closed.

l. In an automatic controlled railway stopp n system, a construction forcooperating with a tripping finger used in coir nection with anair-brake system on a train to set the brakes and stop the train, and anelectrically controlled track block system comprising a ramp railmounted adjacent and substantially paralleling the railway track andadapted for sidewise movement to throw the same in or out of contactwith the linger on the train, a casing in which is substantially mounteda shaft upon which are rotatably fulcrumed substantially vertical leverssupporting said ramp rail at their tops, said levers having laterallyextending arms beneath the fulcrum, a weight on said arms, means betwensaid levers and said electrically controlled track bloclr system wherebysaid ramp rail is held to safety position against said weight, by meansof a closed circuit on said electrically controll d track block system,such means comprising a cable attached to said levers, a retatable shaftupon which is mounted a gearing and a drum, the cable engaging saiddrum, a magnet mounted in circuit with said track block system servingto hold a pawl in said gearing to hold the same as against rotation andmeans for the automatic release of said pawl from such engagement whensaid circuit is broken and permit said weight to swing said levers toput the ramp rail in danger position, together with automatic means forrotating the levers carrying the ramp rail to place the ramp rail insafety position after the circuit on the track bl cl: system has beenclosed, such means comprising a motor connected with said gearing andtied into the electrically controlled track block system whereby thegearing and said drum are rotated to swing thelevers-r carryingtherampirail to the opposite position and means for-breaking theelectrical. connection JVlth i said electri-c electrically controlledtrack block system:

comprising ramp rail mounted adjacent and substantially paralleling therailway track and adapted for sideWise movement to i throw the same inor out of contact with the.

finger on the train, acasing in which is substantially mounted a shaftHp0Il'- Wl11(3l1 are rotatably fulcrumed substantially ver" ticalleverssupporting said ramp rail at their tops said levers; havinglaterally ex tending arms beneath the fulcrum, a weight on said armsmeans bG-tWBGIlSHICl levers and said electrically controlled track blocksys tem whereby the ramp rail is held to safetyposition as againstsaid-weight, bymeans of a closed circuit on -said electrically controlled track block system,- such meanscomprising a cable :attached tolsaidlevers a rotatable shaft uponwhich is mounted-a gearing and adrum,1the-cableengaging said drum; a magnet-mounted lli-cllcult WllZ-hsaid track block system servingto hold a a pawl in said gearing toholdthe same as against lOt2tt1011,tIlCl means for the-aut0- matic releaseof said pawl from such en--'- gagement when said circuit is brokenandpermit said weight to swing said lever to put theramp rail in dangerposition, and means for cushioning the rotation-of theshaft gearing and.drum in theirurotationcaused by their connection :Withsaid weight.

6. In an automatic controlled railway stopping system, a constructionforcooper ating with a tripping finger used in connection with anairebralre system on a train to set the brakes and stop the train, andan. electrically. controlled 'track block system-c comprising-a ramprail mounted adjacent meanest.

and. substantially paralleling the railway track and adapted forsidewisemovement to throw :thesamein or out of contact with the finger on thetrain, a casing in which is substantially mounted-a shaft upon which arerotatably fulcrumed substantially verticalzlevers: supporting said ramprail at their tops, said levers having laterally -eX-- tending-armsbeneath thefulcrum, a weight on:-said: arms; means between-said leversand i said electrically controlled track blocksystemv'iwhereby said ramprail is held, to safety position as' against said weight, by means of aclosed circuit on said electrically con-- trolled track blocksystem-,:such means com :prising cablewattachedpitosaid lGVGISy'iLrotatableshaft upon which is mounteda gearing and adrumfthe:*cablegengaging said drum, a magnet mounted in circuit withsaid track :iblock wsystem serving to hold. a pawl in said :gearingtohold the same asiagainst rotation, and means for the I automaticrelease of said pawl from-such engagement when said-wcircuit is brokenand permit saidnweightito swing said lever to put; the ramp :rail' indanger; position; and means for cushioningthe rotation of the shaftgearing-and. drum in their rotation caused by'their connection. withsaid weight,

such means comprisin'g rack connected with the gearing-on said; shaft acylinder openat one endandclosed at the other,

ports in the closed end-ofthe cylinder, a piston mounted in saidcylinder extending through; the open end thereof; and; a connec- 11 tionbetween-said piston and rack whereby in the rotation ofwthe shaft,-gearing and drum, the: piston, bearsagainst the air in said cylinder;and gradually forcesthe same through said portsc,

In testimony whereof we afiir ur signaturesin presence of two'witnesses.

FRANK Gr. HIGGINS. ROBERT L. 'MILLER;

Witnesses;

L. L; WEsrirALL, J. EuMOANDREWJZ

